MindsEye
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Short description|2025 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Video game infobox
| title = MindsEye
| image = MindsEye cover art.png
| developer = Build a Rocket Boy
| publisher = IO Interactive
| engine = Unreal Engine 5
| genre = Action-adventure
| modes = Single-player
| director = Leslie Benzies
| designer = {{ubl|Benjamin Dumaz|Lukasz Gomula (Arcadia)}}
| programmers = {{ubl|Jonathan Lee|Lambert Clara|Tom Owlett}}
| artist = {{ubl|Sebastian Livall|Thomas Woode}}
| writer = {{ubl|Leslie Benzies|Adrian Butchart|Navid Khonsari|Vassiliki Khonsari|Sam Burton|Andres Perez-Duarte|James Krisel|Colin Krisel}}
| platforms = {{ubl|PlayStation 5||Windows|Xbox Series X/S}}
| released = 10 June 2025
| composer = {{ubl|Stuart Ross|Rival Consoles}}
}}
MindsEye is a 2025 action-adventure game developed by Build a Rocket Boy and published by IO Interactive. The game was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on 10 June 2025. It received generally negative reviews from critics.
Gameplay
MindsEye is a linear third-person action-adventure game that has a pseudo-open world similar to Mafia: Definitive Edition. Redrock City served as the game's main playable area.{{Cite web |last=Lewis|first=Catherifki|date=2025-03-21 |title=Dystopian action thriller from GTA veteran has a "fake open world," and its devs want playing it to feel like "bingeing your favorite Netflix show" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/dystopian-action-thriller-from-gta-veteran-has-a-fake-open-world-and-its-devs-want-playing-it-to-feel-like-bingeing-your-favorite-netflix-show/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=GamesRadar|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Austin |date=2025-02-13|title=Former GTA 5 lead properly shows off his new city-sized action game coming this summer, and yep, it looks like Cyberpunk 2077 meets GTA |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/former-gta-5-lead-properly-shows-off-his-new-city-sized-action-game-coming-this-summer-and-yep-it-looks-like-cyberpunk-2077-meets-gta/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=GamesRadar |language=en}} As part of the game creation system Everywhere, players are able to add user-generated content to MindsEye{{'}}s world and create content using Everywhere{{'}}s tools, with associate game director Adam Whiting comparing the game to custom Minecraft servers. Assets from MindsEye can also be used in other aspects of Everywhere.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/gta-veterans-new-open-world-game-will-belong-to-everyone-almost-like-a-wild-mix-of-roblox-and-minecraft-servers-it-wont-just-be-ours/|title=GTA 5 veteran's new open-world game sounds like a mix of the wildest Roblox and Minecraft servers|first=Kaan|last=Serin|work=GamesRadar|date=March 24, 2025|accessdate=April 3, 2025}}
Premise
Players assume control of Jacob Diaz (Alex Hernandez), a former soldier with a mysterious neural implant, known as the MindsEye. Suffering from memory loss and flashbacks, he heads towards the fictional desert metropolis of Redrock (based on Las Vegas), where he aims to discover the secrets behind this implant.{{cite web |last=Marnell |first=Blair |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Ex-GTA Producer's MindsEye Brings Sci-Fi Action To PS5 This Summer |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ex-gta-producers-mindseye-brings-sci-fi-action-to-ps5-this-summer/1100-6529472/ |accessdate=April 3, 2025 |work=GameSpot}}
Development
MindsEye was developed by Build a Rocket Boy, a studio based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Leslie Benzies, known for his work for the Grand Theft Auto games, served as the game's director.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/everywhere-the-ex-gta-devs-game-creator-that-may-be-too-late-to-the-party|title=Everywhere: The Ex-GTA Dev's Game Creator That May Be Too Late to the Party|first=Matt|last=Purslow|work=IGN|date=March 24, 2023|accessdate=April 3, 2025}} The game was created as a proof of concept for Everywhere, a game creation tool.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/hitman-dev-io-interactive-teaming-with-ex-gta-producers-studio-to-publish-mindseye-working-on-plans-to-announce-release-date|title=Hitman Dev IO Interactive Teaming With Ex-GTA Producer's Studio to Publish MindsEye|first=Kat|last=Bailey|work=IGN|date=October 16, 2024|accessdate=April 3, 2025}} It was envisioned as a premium experience set entirely within the free-to-play Everywhere platform. In 2023, it was revealed by the team that MindsEye would be an episodic game. Each episode of MindsEye would be set in "different time periods and parts of the universe", though the episodes would be connected by an overarching narrative.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/gta-producers-not-crypto-project-everywhere-is-part-episodic-blockbuster-part-roblox-rival|title=GTA producer's not-crypto project Everywhere is part episodic blockbuster, part Roblox rival|first=Tom|last=Phillips|work=Eurogamer|date=March 23, 2023|accessdate=April 3, 2025}} MindsEye was described by the team as a cinematic story-focused game, one that would last for about 20 hours. The narrative would explore themes such as artificial intelligence, technology, greed and corruption.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/mindseye-from-former-rockstar-developers-wants-to-revive-the-tight-linear-cinematic-blockbuster-game|title=MindsEye, from former Rockstar developers, wants to revive the tight, linear, cinematic blockbuster game|first=Chris|last=Tapsell|work=Eurogamer|date=March 28, 2025|accessdate=April 3, 2025}}
Release
MindsEye was first teased at the end of the Everywhere teaser at Gamescom 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/everything-announced-gamescom-opening-night-live|title=Everything Announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live|first=Ryan|last=Dinsdale|work=IGN|date=March 24, 2023|accessdate=April 3, 2025}} A full teaser for the game was released on 23 March 2023. On 16 October 2024, it was announced that IO Interactive, the developers behind the Hitman series, would publish the game. The game was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on 10 June 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2025/03/mindseye-launches-june-10|title=MindsEye launches June 10|first=Sal|last=Romano|work=Gematsu|date=March 28, 2025|accessdate=April 3, 2025}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC: 43/100{{Cite web |title=MindsEye — PC Critic Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mindseye/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=Metacritic}}
PS5: 31/100{{Cite web |title=MindsEye — PS5 Critic Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mindseye/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=Metacritic}}
| GRadar = 2/5{{Cite web |last=Wen |first=Alan |date=June 13, 2025 |title=MindsEye review: "An uninspired and forgettable sci-fi action adventure that feels like a Netflix movie you watch while on your phone" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/mindseye-review/ |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=GamesRadar+}}
| IGN = 4/10{{Cite web |last=Reilly |first=Luke |date=June 13, 2025 |title=MindsEye Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mindseye-review |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=IGN}}
}}
MindsEye received "generally unfavorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Luke Reilly of IGN complimented the game's visuals but criticized the technical issues and "unfinished" state, saying, "...it's clear it was simply not ready to be released".
GamesRadar+ praised the game's score but criticized the story, bland mechanics and missions.
The game launched to "mostly negative" to "mixed" user reviews on Steam.{{cite web |last1=Wilde |first1=Tyler |title=I've played 2 hours of MindsEye and it's pretty bad so far, I'm afraid |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/mindseye-launch-impressions/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=13 June 2025 |language=en |date=11 June 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/mindseye-negative-reviews-steam-why/|title=Former GTA Producer's New Game Has Mostly Negative Reviews on Steam|work=Game Rant|access-date=June 11, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/uh-oh-mindseye-isnt-off-to-a-great-start-on-steam/|title=Uh Oh. 'MindsEye' Isn't Off to a Great Start on Steam|work=VICE|access-date=June 11, 2025}}
Mark Gerhard, co-CEO of Build a Rocket Boy, made claims in a Q&A on Discord that the negative pre-release reception was part of a paid campaign by a third-party to make a "concerted effort to trash the game and the studio". However, IO Interactive's CEO Hakan Abrak would later dismiss Gerhard's claims.{{cite news |last1=Valentine |first1=Rebekah |title=Hitman Boss Says He 'Doesn't Believe' People Are Being Paid to Post Negative Comments About MindsEye |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/hitman-boss-says-he-doesnt-believe-people-are-being-paid-to-post-negative-comments-about-mindseye |access-date=14 June 2025 |work=IGN |date=10 June 2025 |language=en}}
{{clear}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://ioi.dk/mindseye}}
Category:Action-adventure games
Category:Unreal Engine 5 games
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Category:Open-world video games
Category:Xbox Series X and Series S games
Category:Third-person shooters
Category:Video games set in the United States